Baptized by the Spirit

How quickly do you react to something you have heard? Does it depend on what it is you hear? If it is bad news, do you have an immediate reaction? If it is good news, do you first want to verify it before you react? How quickly did you react to the good news of Jesus Christ?

Reacting to good news or bad news can be immediate or delayed. Our reactions can depend on whether the news is expected or unexpected. When the news is expected, we may have already thought about how we will react, and our reaction is a little more predictable.

When we receive unexpected news, our immediate reaction can run the gamut from shock to excitement and anything in between. Unexpected bad news may cause us to be in shock for a moment or two while we process the information. Unexpected good news may cause us to jump for joy, scream, and throw our hands in the air.

Reacting to the good of Jesus is different, though, isn’t it? Many of us have grown up hearing about Him. We may have heard of Him from our parents and been the church our entire lives. Or we may have heard from a friend or other kids in school without really knowing who He is. Regardless, very few of us grew up without hearing something about Jesus or God.

The people Paul encountered in Ephesus had heard about God, but not Jesus. They had been baptized in John’s baptism of repentance. When they heard about Jesus, they immediately decided to be baptized into His baptism. Once Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit, amazing things happened.

We receive the same Holy Spirit. But how joyous are we? Our reaction should be one of joy and excitement. We should be exuberant that the Son of God has been gracious enough to send the Holy Spirit to be with us. The God we worship is not only in heaven but resides within us as well. How amazing is that!

I pray we all know the Holy Spirit resides within us. I pray we are amazed that God would take up residence within us. I pray each one of us are overjoyed that Jesus saw fit to send God’s Spirit to us. Know God lives within you. Be overjoyed. Be amazed. Give thanks to Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Holy Spirit Given

Are there things you don’t understand? Do they seem to be beyond your understanding? Is the Holy Spirit someone you aren’t quite sure how he works? Do you feel his presence at time and not at others? Have you ever felt his presence in your life?

There are many things in our lives that can be hard to understand. For some of us, higher level math such as algebra, trigonometry, or calculus may be difficult. For others, breaking down a sentence into nouns, verbs, and adjectives may be confusing.

The Holy Spirit is often someone Christians have trouble understanding. Some will describe him as our conscience. Others describe him as Jesus living in us. Still others claim he is mystical, and we can never fully understand how he works because he is also God. None of that gives us a full understanding.

We may go through life never fully understanding who the Holy Spirit is. After all, we cannot fully comprehend God. Yet, we can gain a better understanding. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles and to us after He had returned to the Father. He did that on Pentecost.

Through the teaching of the apostles and in the example of Jesus’ baptism, we now know the Holy Spirit comes to live within us at our baptism. This awesome gift from God was not available to the Israelites prior to Pentecost. The Holy Spirit wasn’t often talked about among the early Christians. Even some of the early preachers, other than the apostles, didn’t know about the Holy Spirit. In today’s passage we have an example of Paul rectifying their lack of understanding.

Though we may not be capable of fully understanding God nor how the Holy Spirit works, we can gain a better understanding. Reading about him in Scripture and asking God to reveal himself to us are two ways to improve our knowledge. Seeking to understand how he is and how he works will improve our following of Jesus Christ.

I pray we all seek to better understand who the Holy Spirit is. I pray we seek to understand how he works in us. I pray each one of us will read Scripture and ask God to reveal his Holy Spirit to us. Seek understanding. Read Scripture. Ask God to reveal the Holy Spirit. Become a better follower of Jesus.

Acts 19:2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Strength and Peace

Do you need strength to overcome an obstacle or to make your way through a challenge? Are you looking for peace in the midst of chaos? Do you long for some quiet amid the noise? Have you turned to the one who can give you both? Have you asked God for what you need?

Overcoming obstacles can be difficult. The obstacle may be a physical ailment, a workplace struggle, or a rocky relationship. We are faced with challenges regularly. For the most part, they come and go. But there are some that linger and are far more difficult.

Finding peace in the middle of the hustle and bustle can be near impossible. Of course, we may mean peace to be quiet. We may say we want peace but may be looking for some down time. Peace comes in different forms. There is an agreement for peace in a war time situation. There is peace, meaning quiet downtime. Then there is the peace of God.

When we ask God for what we need, whether it is strength or peace, God provides. Strength comes in many forms. It may be physical strength, endurance, discipline, or the will continue the battle we face. Regardless of what we need, God provides within his will for us.

God also provides our peace. We may not always get the quiet and downtime we desire, but God will grant us inner peace. That peace can be far more important than the quiet time, even though quiet time can restore us. There may be times when getting quiet time is not conducive to God’s plan, but he provides the serene inner peace that helps us through a given situation.

Trusting God to provide is our first step. In our trust, we submit to his will, humbling ourselves before him. When we are in an attitude of humility, God rewards us with the strength and peace we need. Putting our faith in God, even if it takes us being at the end of our rope, tugs at God’s heart. Putting our faith in God is the best we can do.

I pray we all put our faith in God. I pray we trust him to provide us with strength and peace. I pray each one of us will humble ourselves before God and ask him to fulfill our needs. Put your faith in God. Trust God to provide. Ask God for strength. Ask God for peace. Humble yourself before him.

Psalm 29:11

May the Lord give strength to his people! 

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Powerful and Majestic

Do you know someone who can stop anyone in their tracks with just their voice? Does that person have a commanding tone to their voice, even if it is not loud? Do they have the ability to make their voice loud as well? Do you give them your full attention when they speak?

There are some people who have a commanding voice. Some of them come by it naturally. Others have learned it through training. But when they speak, people will listen. In some cases, they can stop a person in their tracks, even if they do not speak loudly.

We sometimes hear narrators of commercials who have a commanding voice. There are people who make a good living with their voice. They do voice overs, become DJs on the radio, and even read books for audiobooks so we can listen rather than read. Most of these people have voices that grab our attention and retain it. But are their voices majestic?

God’s voice is powerful and majestic. He can stop or start anyone or anything with his voice. When he speaks, those who hear him are in awe. Is it any wonder the Israelites no longer wanted to hear him but told Moses to speak to God alone on their behalf? No. His voice was overpowering to them. He spoke straight to the heart.

Though we may not hear God speak audibly, we can still hear him speak through his word. He Word is just as powerful and majestic if we really listen to it. He only gives a few commands, but he provides a multitude of wisdom sayings—sayings that will make our lives much better. We merely need to open our ears (or eyes to read) to hear him speak.

I pray we all seek to hear God’s majestic voice. I pray we listen to him speak through His Word. I pray each one of us spend time reading God’s Word and listening for him to speak to our hearts. Hear God’s powerful voice. Listen for God’s majesty. Spend time in God’s Word.

Psalm 29:4

The voice of the Lord is powerful; 

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

Paying Homage

What do you think of when you hear someone paying tribute? What does it mean to give homage to someone? Do you believe it is respecting and honoring the person verbally? Do you believe it is presenting the person with gifts? Could it be both?

It is awards season, which means there will be several awards shows on our televisions. We may not watch them all, but there is a good chance we will watch at least one of them. The premise of all of them is the same—giving performers a trophy for being the best in a category.

In those awards shows, there may be a special tribute to someone for a unique achievement or a lifetime achievement. Those people receive special trophy and typically have multiple people speak about their accomplishments. Those awards mean a lot, but the presentation is usually done in about two to three minutes. Imagine, a lifetime of work wrapped up in such a short time.

It was different for Jesus. When He was born, there was a celebration at multiple locations. First, Mary and Joseph celebrated His birth. Having heard the stories of many mothers, I’m sure Mary was relieved, tired, and joyous all at the same time.

Next, the shepherds in the field were shocked at the appearance of angels, overjoyed, and so excited they had to go tell everyone they saw about what they had heard and seen.

Finally, the wise men from three different places of origin came to pay tribute to Him. Their places of origin are modern day Spain, Yemen, and Sudan/Eritrea respectively. We don’t know if they knew one another beforehand or happened to travel and arrive at the same time. We do know they came out of respect and to honor God’s anointed Son. Though we do not know exactly when they arrived, we do know it was within the first couple years of His birth and likely within a couple months.

All of this took place for an infant who had not begun God’s ministry yet. The homage they gave was for what He would do. If they paid homage for what was to come, how much more should we honor Him for what we know He did? We can learn a lesson from the angels, shepherds, and wise men. We are to honor Him as the Son of God, the fulfillment of God’s promise.

I pray we all follow the example of the angels, shepherds, and wise men. I pray we honor Jesus for who He is and what He has done. I pray each one of us are in awe of who Jesus is—the Son of God and our Savior. See Jesus for who He is. Honor Him. Pay homage to Him. Be in awe of Him.

Psalm 72:10

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles 

render him tribute, 

may the kings of Sheba and Seba 

bring gifts.

God’s Gifts

How carefully are you when it comes to picking out a gift? Are you more careful with people whom you love than your co-workers? Have you ever purchased a gift for someone very special? Did you purchase an expensive gift? Or did you give them something that was special to you?

Gift giving can be a challenge. We want give a gift of equal value to the gift we receive from someone else. It can become a competition. One person trying to outdo another. Choosing a gift for someone special can require us to put a lot of thought into it.

It doesn’t matter if the gift is for a birthday, Christmas, or a special occasion. Giving the appropriate gift for someone we care for causes us to spend time thinking, looking, and finally choosing. The more special the person is to us, the more time we spend seeking the right gift. We put a lot of thought and love into choosing the gift and hope the person receiving it loves what we have chosen.

The wise men likely put thought into the gifts they brought to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. They brought three gifts that were fit for a king. The gifts were valuable and expensive. Though the wise men brought the gifts because they knew who Jesus was, those gifts also would provide a means of traveling and living for Mary and Joseph as they escaped to Egypt.

God provides us with gifts, we call them blessings, that prepare us for the future. We may see them as small blessings or large blessings. We may not even recognize them until later. Why does God bless us? He blesses us because he loves us, and we are special to him.

I pray we all see the blessings God blesses us with. I pray we know that God loves us. I pray each one of us realize that we are special to God and he cares for us very much. See God’s blessings. Know he is preparing you for the future. Know you are special. Know that God loves you.

Matthew 2:11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

God’s Signs

Have you ever seen a shooting star? Did you wish upon it? Have you seen or made aware of a key indicator that something big was about to happen? Did it happen as you envisioned it would? Have you thought what it might have been like for the wise men who were seeking Jesus?

There is something magical about a shooting star…though they are not stars at all. I have seen them a few times and simply think they are cool. But they are really small pieces of an asteroid and they burn up as they enter our atmosphere, which is why they are bright.

Seeing or hearing about a key indicator that something big is about to happen can be exhilarating. Especially if what is about to happen is a great thing that is in our favor. If we hear there are going to be big raises, we get excited. If we hear we are going to be promoted, we get excited. When those things actually happen, we get excited again.

The wise men had seen a star that indicated the Messiah had been born. They knew the Jewish prophecies. Perhaps each one of them did not know the whole set of prophecies. Perhaps each knew some of them and consulted with one another to come to the proper conclusion. On the other hand, God may have enlightened them.

Regardless of how they knew, the wise men knew the star indicated the Messiah had been born and headed toward it. Notice the Scripture does not state how many wise men there were. Why do we often hear or say there were three? It’s tradition. Prophecy says they came from three different regions, but it doesn’t say there are only three who travel.

We can learn a lesson from the wise men. God shows us signs of what he is doing in this world. We need to be attentive, see the signs, and interpret them properly. Of course, the best way to interpret them properly is to ask God to give us the interpretation.

I pray we all are attentive to see God’s signs. I pray we ask God to interpret his signs for us. I pray each one of us will follow God’s signs and act properly when we know the interpretation. See God’s signs. Ask God for their interpretation. Act properly on God’s signs. Learn from the wise men.

Matthew 2:1-2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

Hidden Treasure

Has the idea of seeking hidden treasure intrigued you? Would you like to go on a treasure hunt? Do you enjoy watching the Indian Jones movies? What would you do if you found a hidden treasure? Do you know hidden riches of Christ are available for you to find?

Finding a hidden treasure can be very intriguing, until we think about all the work and funding needed to seek it out. We may read books about pirates hiding their treasure and wonder what it would be like to find it. But treasure seekers require a lot of money to seek the treasure.

Personally, I enjoy watching the Indiana Jones movies. I also enjoy watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. But when reality sinks in, I know those movies are nothing more than fantasy. They are meant to be entertaining and nothing more.

There is a treasure we can seek and find. A treasure that is richer than treasure we can imagine. It is the treasure of knowing Jesus Christ and understanding the mystery of God that was hidden for so long. As we seek this treasure, we are granted small bits of it at a time. We learn more about who Jesus is. We gain a better understanding of who God is and how he works in our lives. We begin to see his plan unfolding.

We all know the ultimate treasure is being with Jesus forever. We know that will not happen until He returns to claim His own and plop us into the new heaven and new earth. We will live with Him in the new Jerusalem. We have visions of gold and crystal, amethyst and emerald, the tree of life, and God on his throne providing the endless light. But even those images pale in comparison to what that treasure will actually be.

I pray we all seek the treasure of Jesus Christ. I pray we seek to know Him better and understand God’s plan. I pray each one of us look forward to the ultimate treasure of spending eternity with God. Seek the treasure. Know Jesus better. Understand God’s plan. Be confident in the treasure that awaits you.

Ephesians 3:8-10 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Mystery of Jesus

Do you like mysteries? Do you enjoy unraveling what happened when and who was involved? Do you like to play detective, looking for clues, and putting the pieces together? Do you enjoy going to escape rooms and working your way out? Have you looked at the gospel in the same way?

Some of us enjoy mysteries. We watch the “who done it” mystery movies. We watch detective television shows. We follow along, note the clues, put the pieces together, and make our guesses of who committed the crime. We may do the same in real life cases. It is our curious nature.

Playing detective while watching a movie or a television show can be intriguing and enjoyable. Reading a good mystery book may have us wanting to quickly finish the book to see how things turn out. A good author can keep our attention and make the time fly. We don’t want to put the book down. We may even read late into the night.

The story of Jesus can be a mystery as well. As we read the Bible and put together the pieces, we can be intrigued as we discover prophecies written hundreds of years before He was born. Following His journey’s, seeing the miracles He performed, and discerning His teaching and purpose for it can be exhilarating.

The Apostle Paul states the mystery of God’s plan, sending Jesus to be our Savior, was not revealed to the people of the Old Testament, but was revealed when Jesus came. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, all of us have the opportunity to be members of Christ’s body and be heirs of eternal life with Him. That is the good news of Jesus Christ.

I pray we all seek to unravel the mystery of Jesus. I pray we dig into the Bible to better understand God’s plan. I pray each one of us will see the revealed mystery of Jesus Christ. Seek to understand the mystery of Jesus. Piece together the prophecies. Be an heir of eternal life.

Ephesians 3:5-6 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Prophetic Visitors

How well do you know the prophecy about Jesus? Do you know His birth was foretold hundreds of years before His birth? Do you know He was to come from the line of King David? Do you know the visit from the wise men and their gifts was foretold?

Most of us know there is prophecy about the birth of Jesus, even if we do not know where they are specifically in Scripture. We know He was to be born in Bethlehem. We know He was to be born of young woman who had bore no children. But we may not know much beyond that.

In the first few verses of Isaiah 60, the prophet tells of a light coming. Not just any light but the light of the Lord. In John 1, John refers to Jesus as that light. A light that overcame darkness and the darkness could not prevail against it. Isaiah says it is a new dawn, which we reference as a new covenant. In fact, Jesus speaks of the new covenant when He institutes the Lord’s Supper.

Notice in today’s passage the places from which the wise men will come. Notice the gifts they will bring. Isaiah prophesied their coming more than seven-hundred years before Jesus was born. Also notice there is no mention of there being three wise men. In fact, Isaiah states there will be a multitude of camels that will come from three different places. We do not know how many wise men actually came to pay homage to the infant Jesus. We can be assured they originated from three different places.

Knowing the prophecy about Jesus helps us better understand who He is. Knowing prophecy helps us see how God works in this world. We gain insight into God’s plan and his execution of it. Therefore, behooves us to research the prophecies about Jesus and can begin by reading the gospels and paying attention to their mention of Jesus fulfilling prophecy.

I pray we all desire to know more about Jesus. I pray we research prophecies about Him. I pray each one of us will seek a better understanding of who Jesus is and how God is executing his plan. Research prophecy. Desire to know who Jesus is. See how God fulfills his plan.

Isaiah 60:6

A multitude of camels shall cover you, 

the young camels of Midian and Ephah; 

all those from Sheba shall come. 

They shall bring gold and frankincense, 

and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.